Keith Walsh Solicitor writes: 

New protections for victims of stalking/harassment and domestic violence introduced 

This new law introduced on 2 September 2024 allows a person to get an Order from the civil [not criminal court] to stop the other person [respondent] from using or threatening to use violence against, molesting or putting in fear the person, from following or communicating by any means with or about the person; approaching, within such distance as the court shall specify, the place of residence, education or employment of the person; engaging in such other forms of relevant conduct as the court specifies provided: 

there are reasonable grounds for believing that the respondent has engaged in relevant conduct towards the applicant or, where relevant, a person connected to the applicant, and the making of the order is, in all of the circumstances, necessary for, and proportionate to, the purpose of protecting the safety and welfare of the applicant.^[1]

Relevant conduct means conduct engaged in, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse, by the respondent towards the applicant or, where relevant, a person connected to the applicant, that would reasonably be considered likely to cause the applicant—

(a) to fear that violence will be used against the applicant or person, or

(b) serious alarm or distress that has a substantial adverse impact on his or her usual day-to-day activities.^[2]

Relevant conduct also includes, without prejudice to the generality of (a) and (b) in the previous paragraph, the following: (a) following, watching, monitoring, tracking or spying upon a person; (b) pestering a person (c) impersonating a person; (d) communicating with or about a person; (e) purporting to act or communicate on behalf of a person; (f) disclosing to other persons private information in respect of a person; (g) interfering with the property (including pets) of a person; (h) loitering in the vicinity of a person; (i) causing, without the consent of the person, an electronic communication or information system operated by a person to function in a particular way.^[3]